A new spring fair took place in Bolton town centre, built up on land adjacent to Morrisons superstore which was first used when a Christmas and New Year fair took place back in December. The next event in Bolton town centre is usually in the summer but the lessees, Northwest Funfair Supplies, have added this extra fair into their agenda.

The old ground on Cheadie Square is no longer being used and the new venue is in a very prominent position with major routes, always very busy with traffic passing right by the side of the ground. The Morrisons superstore and nearby trading estate will hopefully bring in extra customers to the fair.

There had been an extens ive advertising campaign with posters, radio and the local newspaper the Bolton News promoting the fair and an added £1 a ride promotion was also in place to entice the Bolton public.

The opening of the fair took place on Thursday April 7. It was officially opened at 3.l5pm by the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Councillors John and Lynda Byrne Kurt Hill and his PA Veronica Rutter.

At the opening ceremony the Mayor was presented with a cheque donated by Kurt Hill for the Mayor’s Charity and teddy bears were donated for the children’s hospital. The Mayor stayed for a full hour after the official opening and enjoyed a ride on every machine on the ground.

From 3.l5pm to 4.l5pm all rides were free and before the ribbon was cut at the entrance to the fair, crowds formed a very long queue down by the side of the Morrisons store and around the block, the crowds entering in their droves to take advantage of the free ride promotion. The busy spell continued into Friday and Saturday when again the ground was packed with people enjoying the £1 ride promotion.

World’s Fair visited on Saturday night and spoke to Henry Hill, the promotions manager for Northwest Funfair Supplies who explained that they had a good relationship with Bolton Council and that they fully appreciated them having an extra fair here in the town.

The fair was advertised as Bolton’s Biggest Traditional Funfair with no gimmicks, no catches and no hidden charges. Henry also told us that they have been inspired by the £1 fairs that have been successful by Arthur Silcock at Wigan and were impressed with the promotion of Arthur’s fairs.

Henry said that the theme was ‘going back to the 1980s’ and this was promoted on the posters that were widely spread around the town. The fair had received a good deal of publicity and that it reminded him of ‘the good old days’ back in the 90s.

At the entrance Kurt Hill’s magnificent looking Scammell Explorer and the Bolton Fairground Organ were on display with a collection box for the Mayor’s charities placed alongside the music playing organ, with CDs available for sale. One thing that stood outwere the very smart ride attendants who all were attired in Northwest Funfair Supplies teeshirts and fleeces.

The firm’s rides cormprised the Supreme Waltzer, Skyrider Paratrooper, UFO Meteorite, Christer Twist, and Miami. Their juvenile rides were their new mini jets, recently acquired from Leonard Chadwick and out of the paint shop only two weeks earlier, featuring the firm’s name on every jet in a different advertising form.

There were also two mini Paratroopers, mini Ski Jump, ladybirds, bouncy castle, inflatable slide and catering kio sk. New from the firm was an Italian built clown themed track ride which arrived on Monday April 1 4 in the spot which Laurence Hill’s Super-heroes Fun House vacated to move to Blackburn for the Easter Fair.

Other rides and attractions built up in the impressive line up were Tommy Boswell’s Sky Rider Skymaster; Joel Smith’s Chair-o-planes; James Bedford’s Ski Jump and mini train, which took the place of Dean Hill’s similar attraction on the Monday, which was also moving to Blackburn.

Also on the ground were Michael Hill’s Dodgems and catering kiosk; Nicholas Hill Jnr’s Jumping Jack and Cash Casino arcade; Michael Hill Jnr’s toy set, teacups and grabbers; Robert Hill’s Spiderman bungee trampolines; Stevie Boswell’s square hoopla stall; and Dean Hill’s hook a duck round stall.

The ground was fenced off for added security and Henry Hill told World’s Fairthat North-West Funfair Supplies Events Office supplied all the fencing, security and toilets.

All in all the fair was a very impressive event and Henry and his family deserve all the success for bringing back something special for the people of Boiton to enjoy.

Northwest Funfairs supplied free catering for the hundreds of people that were affected by the Irlam Blast.

Karen Hill said “We received a call late at night from Salford City Council advising us of the problems that had taken place in Irlam and felt obliged to help.  We arrived on site at 7am and started cooking up food and serving it out free to all the people affected.  The feedback I have received today has been overwhelming.”

Karen was interviewed on Granada Reports – see picture.

Article taken from The Bolton News

BOLTON’S One Big Weekend has been hailed a success — despite torrential rain putting a dampener on the final day.

Organisers estimated around 20,000 people turned out to the event at Leverhulme Park. It featured bungee jumps, quad-bike races, tank rides, a modern and vintage car show, a motorbike stunt display team, morris dancers, martial arts and a dog show. There were also firework displays on Friday and Saturday night where the first evening proved so popular people had to be turned away.

Danielle Smith bumped into two of the stars from TV soap Emmerdale at the One Big Weekend event

Organiser Northwest Funfairs, said: “It has been a great event, and lots of people have been over the weekend.

“We had about 8,000 people on Friday and 10,000 on Saturday, but there were less people on Sunday due to the weather. I think there was about 20,000 over the weekend which is very good. Families braved the weather yesterday in their wellies and raincoats. Natalie Frodsham, aged 35, from Breightmet, said: “I came on Saturday and it was great, lots of people and the weather was ok. The truck show was good and the kids had fun on the rides.

“We decided to come back again because we were not doing anything else and it is only a bit of rain which we are used to!”

Amy was all smiles at the Bolton Big Weekend event at Leverhulme Park

Kathryn Corkin, aged 38, from Spa Road, Bolton, visited yesterday with her husband Andrew and five children. She said: “It is a bit soggy but you never know what the weather is going to be like when these events are organised.“I am sure it would be a lot busier if it wasn’t raining, but we decided to come down anyway, and it has been good fun.”

Read the original article at The Bolton News website

Since making an impromptu visit over Easter, Kurt Hill of North West Fun Fair Supplies has certainly made himself at home at the Trafford Retail Park, putting in no less than three appearances this season. He was back again in support of a flrework display on Tuesday November 3.

This was the fourth of what would be seven bonfire fairs in the region provided by Hills. With no fairs or fireworks this November at either Old Trafford cricket ground or Sale, Kurt and his dad Henry thought they had spotted a niche in this corner of Greater Manchester.

Yet not even the promise of two firework displays was enough to bring out the crowds and the showmen suffered. Maybe the locals didn’t fancy the weather; perhaps they were waiting for the big firewortc display at the Trafford Centre on Bonfire Night (when it was also wet); maybe some had gone to watch Manchester United play CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford football ground; or perhaps they had no money.

Nevertheless, the lessee had assembled an interesting selection of attractions at the Trafford Retail Park, not least his own Waltzer. This is the 25 yeat old showman’s second such ride which was acquired from Courtown Amusement Park in Ireland over the summer. The vintage Jackson built machine is very traditional in appearance and boasts simple but charming decor.

To transport the ride, Kurt has bought two box trailers, hauled by a choice of 14 tractor units and the 4-wheel centre, meanwhile, has been given new tyres. New steps and windshields have also been added but overall its new owner says he is happy with the condition of the machine. Over the winter it will be redecorated by Gary Leach to match his other Walizer.

Other rides at this event included Kurt & Henry Hill’s Sky Diver, Meteorite, mini Paratrooper, mini Ski Jump, mini Chairs, cups & saucers, toy set and ladybirds; Tony Litiiemhumest’s Superheroes dark ride and bumpy slide; Jordan Cowie’s Tagada and bungee trampolines; Lawrence Hill Jnr’s Fun House; Craig Harrison’s Ghost Train and Sizzler Twist; Luke Knightly’s Miami and mini Pirate Ship; and Dean Hill’s train ride.

Food and games were provided by George Gailick, Dean Hill, Henry Hill, Lawrence Hill Jnr and Michael Hill. Showmen were also responsible for glow sales.

A generally disappointing bonfire schedule was saved for Hills by events at Buile Hill Park in Salford (November 5) and Chester (Saturday November 7).

Article from the Leigh Journal

Since he could scarcely see over the steering wheel of a dodgem car, Kurt Hill has always been up for a challenge.

And now the 25 year-old, who has just taken over the reins of the family funfair business, will be seen by millions of TV viewers charging into battle on a home-built chariot made from parts taken from old fairground rides.

Kurt will be on the popular Scrapheap Challenge Channel 4 TV show being televised in Spring 2009, but has been sworn to secrecy over the result. But he can reveal that the contraption which he and his cousin Lawrence and funfair manager Darren McMullen built from parts can reach 35 miles per hour and was the only entry that didn’t break down!

But this week Kurt steps up to a new challenge as head of the funfair business – North West Funfair Supplies Ltd – which was set up over 100 years ago by his great grandfather Albert Hill.

Article from the Bolton News

A FUNFAIR boss went into battle on a TV gameshow on a chariot made from old fairground rides.

Kurt Hill raced his contraption on the popular Channel 4 show Scrapheap Challenge. Mr Hill is best known in Bolton because of his involvement with North-west Funfairs. Mr Hill travelled to Hever Castle in Kent to film Scrapheap Challenge along with funfair manager Darren McMullen and cousin Laurence Hill.

The show usually pits two teams of contestants against each other in a different challenge each week. The teams have to make a machine from scrap and use it to complete some kind of task.

Mr Hill’s challenge was to build a motorised chariot to race around an obstacle course against the clock. It took four weeks to build, and can reach a top speed of about 35mph.

Kurt Hill with the scrap he used

Mr Hill said filming the show was great fun and he would do it again. He said: “Out of the six teams, we were the only ones who hadn’t been on it before, and we were the only ones who didn’t break down.

“Ours was still running when we went home. It’s still running now. I might ride around Bolton on it. In fact, I’m thinking about selling it on eBay.”

Read the story on The Bolton News